The paper seeks to further the understanding of the potential of organisational theatre as an
intervention in organisational development and change programs. It employs the concept of
polyphony to support an analysis of the character and impact of organisational theatre
processes. The findings of this paper rest on a longitudinal single-case study, which followed
an organisational theatre process from its early development until follow-up stages at an
innovative health care project over eighteen months. The analysis suggests that, while
organisational theatre is able to provide multivocal and diverse debates and interpretations,
the outcomes and effects of organisational theatre for individual participants largely depend
on their perceived power status within the organisation.

Files in this item: 1

The paradox of social entrepreneurial initiatives addressing vulnerable groups

Barinaga, Ester(Frederiksberg, 2011)

[More information]

[Less information]

Abstract:

The young men and women of foreign background living in the suburbs of major cities are at the
focus of attention of a vast array of social and economic initiatives. From state-driven development
programs aiming at bridging the digital divide (Barinaga, 2010) and private-led schools working with the
youth, to civil society organizations addressing domestic violence or drug-abuse as well as other forms
of voluntary associations such as women groups or ethnic minority associations. These initiatives are all
committed to attaining change concerning the living conditions of particular communities.

Do user populations differ systematically in
the way they express and rate sentiment?
We use large collections of Danish and U.S.
film reviews to investigate this question,
and we find evidence of important systematic
differences: first, positive ratings are
far more common in the U.S. data than
in the Danish data. Second, highly positive
terms occur far more frequently in the
U.S. data. Finally, Danish reviewers tend
to under-rate their own positive reviews
compared to U.S. reviewers. This has potentially
far-reaching implications for the
interpretation of user ratings, the use of
which has exploded in recent years.

Files in this item: 1

Today the European welfare states are strongly challenged and it is heavily debated how much
social security a society should provide and how much private insurance is possible. This article
goes back to the origins of the German welfare state. In the 1830s, industrialists from the district
of Aachen (Prussian Rhineprovince) suggested to implement collective labour rules regulating
working hours and wages. In the 1860s – 20 years before Bismarck – they proposed a mandatory
pension system with equal contributions of employers and employees; they suggested labour
conflict resolution by joint arbitration panels of employers and labour representatives. The proposals
did not gain support from the Prussian ministries arguing collective agreements would
violate freedom of contracting.
Entrepreneurs demanding social welfare and the Prussian state defending economic liberalism –
this challenges the perception of the Bismarckian welfare state as a means to reconcile labour
with the German state. Yet, in the early 19th century the district of Aachen was the most advanced
economic region in Prussia in regard with industrial employment and modern industrial
organisation. Producing quality goods for the world markets, the industrialists aimed at stabilizing
the social environment and reconciling labour with the capitalist society. Their motivation,
however, was not based on philanthropy; it was guided by economic aims and collective selfinterest.
Analysing ‘social policy’ as a capitalist aim, the paper puts the German welfare state in a
new perspective. By doing this it also wants to contribute to the discussion on the future of the
modern welfare states, because if the argument presented here holds it might have implications
for the possibility of privately solving social problems.